Saturday, July 21, 2012

Spectrum Noir - Christmas in July Blog Hop


A few members of the Spectrum Noir team have gotten together to celebrate Christmas in July!  We have an inspiration-filled blog hop today, along with a few great prizes!  If you have arrived here from Leann Chivers blog, you are in the right place.  If not, pop over to the Spectrum Noir blog, so you don't miss a thing!

Here is my project (I know two - hope you don't mind but I couldn't pick)





















I used Sent with Love from the all new Mulberry Woods stamp line from Crafter's Companion... The entire line is absolutely adorable!  I can't decide which is my favorite...scroll down on my blog to see more of this fantastic new release of Mulberry Woods!  LOVE them.



The step out picture I show placement of my ink colors without blending.  Basically the light is in the middle, and dark colors are closer to the edge and in shaded areas.

Tip: I like to start with the background, so that after my bright colors are added in, I won't accidently drag a bit of the other colors into my background, as I color around the finished image.

Sky - BT1

Envelope:
  • Step 1: Color the bottom of envelope with FS2.  Then blend top edge of color with the blender pen to fade the edge of the color.
  • Step 2: Color the Back layer of the envelope (above the lower flap edge). then blend with Blender pen.
  • Step 3: Color the background inside the envelope behind the doggie and flowers. This is where it is important to color the background first as that bright red will bleed easily into your background if done after the flowers are colored.
Doggie
  • Step 1:  Color entire doggie with TN2
  • Step 2:  Add a bit of TN4 around the edges - Blend/bleed  the edges together with TN2.
  • Step 3: Add a tiny bit of TN6 to the very edge (very think line)... blend/bleed the colors together with TN4 by barely touching the darker ink already on the paper.
  • Step 4: Add a teeny tiny bit of EB5 to the ears and right side of face then blend with TN6
  • Note that in the second doggie I used exactly the same colors, just a bit more of the darker color. and EB5 for the nose instead of TN6.
Flowers are done with Reds - CR5, DR2, DR6 or  lavenders - HB1, HB2, HB3
Leaves are done with CG2, CG4, and a tiny bit of DR3
Snow and hat fur was shaded with IG1



We hope you've been checking out the Spectrum Noir blog - it is full of great tutorials, techniques, and other projects from our design team.  If you haven't been over there, go take a look!  Before we get to the rest of the hop today, let's have a little fun.  How about a prize?  Spectrum Noir is going to award one lucky winner two sets of six markers, a pack of Crafter's Companion Ultra Smooth Premium White card stock (perfect for coloring!), and an adorable stamped called All Wrapped Up, from the new Mulberry Wood line.


Entering to win is easy.  Leave a comment on the Spectrum Noir Blog Hop Post telling us your favorite Spectrum Noir color combination you saw while hopping with us this week (please comment no later then Friday, July 27 at 6:00 PM GMT).  A random winner will be drawn using random.org and posted on our blog at 9:00 AM GMT, Saturday, July 28, 2012, so be sure to check back with us to see if you have won!  The lucky winner will have one week to claim their prize or a second winner will be chosen. 

Now, hop on over to the next amazing blog and check out what Linda Hill has to share!  In case you get lost along the way, here is the entire hop order:


Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate Christmas in July!  Have fun hopping around to see all of the inspiration from our team, and good luck winning the prize pack!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Color Inspiration


Colored with Spectrum Noir - Northwoods Image
Here is my card for today... I just love the vibrancy of the colors I chose.  I was unsure of what colors to use so I looked around me for inspiration.  I was laying by the pool in Palm Springs, CA coloring.  I snapped the below picture and took a look at the colors in the photo.  That is where my color scheme came from!  How easy is that!

Here are the steps I took to color the cylinder shaped watering can.  Remember to color the portion of the image furthest away from your eye your darkest color to make the lighter area look closer to your eye. 












Here I started with my darkest blue on the edges (BT8)
Add in your medium color marker (BT5)
Then finally adding the lightest color BT3 in the center of image.
and blend.  Always use the lighter of the two colors touching
each other as your blending marker.

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers
Blue Turquoise: BT3, BT5, BT8
Reds: CR7, DR3, DR7
Tans: TN2, TN4
Gray: IG1
Hope I was able to inspire you to look around you and challenge yourself with the colors you see in your happy place.  My happy place was laying by the pool Coloring!  



Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Golf fun from Di's Digi Downloads

I know you would think I LOVE golf.. well - wrong!  However, I do love to drive the golf card around the course and take photos!  The golf courses are sooooo pretty and relaxing!  LOL.... It's those special people in my life that love to golf.  I love to go watch and capture fun pictures of them making funny faces and wiggling their bottom while trying to get the perfect position to swing at that silly little ball. People think I am nuts with my bag of markers and clipboard that I sneak into the golf cart! 

This little guy is from Di's Digi Downloads.. a new find for me!  I lover her fun little images, they are so cute and soooooooo many to chose from  HERE!  

Today's Tip... I love to play with texture.. there fore I used the bullet tip of my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers to "flick" in some blades of grass.  too fun.

Spectrum Noir:
reds: CR3 CR5, CR6
Gray/black: IG1, IG3, IG5, IG7
greens: CG2, CG3, DG3
bear: GB3, GB6, GB8, EB3
sky: tb1

Copic Equivalent.
reds: R24, R27, R59
gray: c1, c3, c5, c7
Green: yg21, yg23, yg25
bear: YR24, E33, E35, E37
sky: b0000

Across The Miles - Christmas

This just might be my very favorite new Mulberry Woods image by Crafter's Companion.  I just love that little doggie mailing a "hand made card" to his loved ones... I think of my dog Bugsie sending a card to her first mommie (breeder and my sister Patricia Res).  I am so thankful for my little furry baby.

Note the mailbox and trees are both cylinder shapes.... Keeping this in mind remember to put your darker colors to the sides and the lightest color in the center of the cylinder.  This will give shape or volume to the cylinder making the center of the mailbox look like it's closer to you than the sides.

THIS CARD WILL BE USED IN MY AUGUST CLASSES.
Collective Journey - - Redlands, CA - August 21
Pages from the Heart  - Monrovia, CA - August 17
This N That - week of Aug 6 - exact date tba

Colors used
Reds: CR2, CR5, DR3, DR6
Browns: GB1, GB3, GB7, GB9, EB3, EB5
Grays: IG1, IG2, IG5, IG8
Greens: CG2, CG4, DG3

other brands
reds: R24, R29, R59
Greens: YG21, YG25, YG67
grays: C1, C3, C5, C8
Browns: YR24, E33, E35, E37


Monday, July 9, 2012

Have a PURR-fect Christmas - classes

Is this the cutest kitty Christmas card or what?  The image is one of the new releases from Crafter's Companion new stamp line.....  Mulberry Woods.   I absolutely love all of them!  If you know me I am more of a doggie person than a kitty person (they make me sneeze and the hair is not do-able for me), but if the kitty is on paper..... I totally love them!

Just a quick post to share one of my favorite new images... Here are the colors I used.

Spectrum Noir

Trees: CT2 (yellow), CG2, CG4, DG4
Yellow Kitties: GB2, GB7, GB9 (golden browns)
Gray Kitty: IG1, IG2, IG4
Box: TN2, TN4, TN6
Snow was done with a white acrylic paint pen. 
reds: CR5, DR3, DR7
blender pen

THIS CARD WILL BE ONE OF THREE IN MY CLASSES IN AUGUST
This year let's be ready for Christmas before it's too late!

This N That - Chino Hills, CA  TBA (contact store for update)
Collective Journey - Redlands, CA  August 21
Pages from the Heart - Monrovia, CA August 17

other colors
greens: YG21, YG25, YG67
golden brown: YR21, YR24, E35
gray: C or W  1, 3, 5, 7
Brown: E30, E33, E35, E37
Blender pen



Sunday, July 1, 2012

Golf - I got a birdie!

I hope you all have a fun and safe holiday week.  Be sure to be careful for all of the little pets & critters.... fireworks scare the heck out of them.

I was just introduced to this Di's Digital Downloads  last week.  I absolutely LOVE them... Be sure to check them out!  Super duper cute! Of course I colored him with my Spectrum Noir Markers..

Tip:  His pants are checked which can make it a bit tricky when it comes to shading if using a darker green and darker brown.  Instead,  I used a medium gray to shade the pants, that  allowed consistent shading no matter the color of the check.

The only birdie I will ever get in golf, will be if one lands on my club like this guy!
Spectrum Noir colors used:
Bear: GB3, GB6, BG8
Shirt & Greens: CG2, CG5, DG4
Bunny: BG1,
Golf Cart: BT1, BT2